The present invention relates to adjustable sign brackets for sign and poster display devices of all kinds. The invention more particularly relates to brackets for securely holding roll-up and flexible signs in place on construction-type sign standards.
Numerous sign stands and poster display devices known today are used for displaying various signs and messages for conveying advertisements and information to the public. On construction sites, for example, such signs are typically positioned on sign standards that are either anchored in the ground, held in place by sandbags or other heavy objects, or spring-mounted on bases which allow them to bend or deflect generally along a predetermined plane, without tipping over, under high wind forces. Spring-mounted sign stands which can be used for this purpose are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,646,696; 3,662,482; 4,033,536; 4,265,040; and 4,288,053; as well as in two copending patent applications entitled "Compact Sign And Stand", and "Improved Deflectable Sign And Stand", filed on the same date as the application herein, and in a previously filed copending application, Ser. No. 274,400, filed June 17, 1981, all of said copending applications being assigned to the same assignee as the invention herein. The deflectable sign stands, although unanchored and lightweight, prevent tipping over or sliding of the units in virtually all weather and wind conditions.
Signs commonly used at construction sites are square or diamond in shape, flat in configuration, made of metal or wood, and have pertinent informative or warning messages or symbols on them. The wood and metal signs are bulky and heavy, causing numerous problems in storage, transportation and mounting, and to overcome these problems, flexible roll-up type signs are being used more and more frequently today. These flexible signs are also typically diamond-shaped signs but are made out of a heavy-duty flexible and foldable material, such as vinyl, or reinforced cloth or plastic. Such signs are lighter and thus easier to handle than metal or wood signs and are also typically adapted to be rolled-up or folded-up for ease of transportation and storage.
The flexible or roll-up signs have one disadvantage when used with unanchored resiliently mounted sign stands. Although such signs work very satisfactorily when the wind forces are directed generally transversely to the plane of the sign, the flexible signs have a tendency to make the unanchored sign stands unstable when the wind forces are generally parallel to the plane of the sign.
The above-discussed roll-up signs typically have one or more relatively rigid cross-braces to hold them in their fully extended configurations, with brackets or other mounting means on sign stands for holding the signs in place. The cross-braces are elongated members, typically made of wood, fiberglass or a similar strong material, and are connected to one another in the middle so that they can be rotated together for storage. Examples of brackets used for mounting roll-up signs on sign stands are found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,053; as well as in the above-mentioned copending patent application, Ser. No. 274,400, filed June 17, 1981, which is assigned to the same assignee as the invention herein. Some of the brackets presently in use for mounting roll-up signs, however, are often difficult and time-consuming to operate, are difficult to accurately position on the standard, and may not prevent the sign from coming off under severe weather conditions.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved sign bracket for holding and securing signs on sign stands having upright or pole-type frame members. It is a further object to provide an improved sign bracket which overcomes the problems previously experienced with existing adjustable signs and brackets. A further object is to provide a sign bracket that has the particular capability of quick and easy mounting or attachment of a roll-up or other flexible-type sign on the frame member of a sign stand. A still further object is to provide a sign stand bracket which securely holds a roll-up type sign in place regardless of orientation of the sign stand, regardless of wind conditions, and regardless of wind direction.
In accordance with the invention, an adjustable sign bracket includes a sign attachment mechanism and apparatus for securing the bracket to a sign frame member or pole. The sign bracket mechanism comprises at least one channel member adapted to hold a cross-brace from a preferred roll-up type sign. At least one latching member is adapted to extend across, and to cooperate with, the channel member in order to at least partially circumscribe a sign cross-brace positioned in the channel member, thereby holding or retaining the cross-brace in place and preventing the cross-brace from being accidentally removed from the channel member. In the preferred embodiment, the latching member is pivotally attached to the bracket and resiliently biased into the cooperating relationship with the channel member.
A sign stand according to the invention also preferably has an upstanding frame member that is resiliently deflectable relative to a ground-engaging base along a predetermined plane in response to wind forces directed generally transverse to the plane of the sign. The sign attachment mechanism is preferably adapted to permit or cause the sign to pivot or swing laterally about a generally vertical axis in response to side-wind forces directed generally parallel to the plane of the sign. Such pivotal movement of the sign causes a portion of the wind forces to be oriented generally transverse to the sign and permits or causes the frame member to deflect generally along the above-mentioned predetemined plane, thereby preventing the sign stand from tipping over. The latching member of the present invention is particularly adapted to retain the sign's cross-brace in the channel member during such lateral pivotal movement of the sign.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.